Hello 3rd Trimester! =)

How far along?  28 weeks!  Finally reached the 3rd trimester!!!

Total weight gain: 6 lbs over my first OB appointment at 8 weeks pregnant!  Finally got over the hump and started gaining more!

Maternity clothes? All the time!  Now having issues with my scrubs at work *lol*  I have started to weed out some of my tighter tops since all my stuff falls out of my pockets and go for a maternity shirt with a scrub jacket over top.  Much more comfortable!  Pants are still okay since I wear drawstring and not elastic!

Stretch marks? Nothing new!  I always have some on my hips and I have been putting lotion on my belly like crazy to prevent any more!

Sleep: I either get a lot or none at all *lol*  Lately, heartburn and getting comfortable have been a HUGE issue!  I seem to get heartburn with just about anything and last night I had marinara sauce with egg plant parmesan from giant eagle...bad idea!  I tossed and turn the whole night, ate tums, and was propped up on about 4 pillows.  Still, no relief!

Best moment this week? Just feeling Iris jumping around in my belly!  The other night she was going crazy and I couldn't quit laughing!  Doug has felt her so much and he is learning how to tell which side she's on, etc.  He can usually pinpoint where she's located!  He comes home each day from work and hugs me and then rubs my belly or kisses it saying "hi Iris".  Totally melts my heart!

Movement? As stated above, she can get crazy in there!  I love feeling her and it's such a relief to feel her after she's been sleeping for a few hours!

Food cravings? Still sweets!!!  I can't get enough!  Poor Doug is probably increasing his cholesterol level daily by all my food choices haha!

Labor signs? I have felt a little cramping a few weeks ago and hear it's braxton hicks but nothing since then.

Belly button: still hasn't popped but it's completely flat with a little herniation so any day now!

What I miss? Just to sit on the couch and be comfortable.  I have trouble breathing now with her getting so big and I would love to snuggle on the couch but it takes too much for me to get comfortable now.

What I'm looking forward to: meeting her for the first time!!!  Doug and I are so anxious for her arrival!  Just about 12 more weeks left until my due date!  9 more until I'm full term!!!  

Milestones? Getting the nursery almost done!  All the furniture is in place and looks great!  Just have a few little decorations to add and bring her home!!!  


And a little TMI =)  I started leaking milk on Saturday.  I didn't realize until Doug pointed out something on my shirt.  It hasn't happened since but I bought breast pads just in case!  I hear it's normal and I'm just hoping that it means that I'll have a great milk supply for Iris!!  Doug said he can now start calling me UDF =)  Hehe  *smack*


I also had my first late night  food run!  On Saturday, Doug and I were starving around 10pm.  His parents came to town and we ate at Red Robin around 2pm but didn't eat again and by 10pm we both were starving!  Plus, we really need to go to the grocery so we had nothing in the house.  By the time we finally decided to venture out it was 11:30pm and we decided on taco bell *lol*  We both knew we would regret it.  It tasted so good but we were both sick afterwards haha  So, I felt like a true pregnant woman with a late night craving =)

28 weeks!

First belly shot without clothes!  

I plan to take these weekly now that I'm at the end to see how much she sticks out =)

I'm switching to evening shift! =)

I got a call last night from work.  I figured it was them asking me to work again (which ultimately, they did as I was getting into bed....um...I think not haha) but it wasn't the charge nurse, it was the co-worker who I was hoping to switch shifts with!!!  I let the voicemail pick up and called her back!

She needed a favor for friday.  I'm picking up 4 more hours to cover her shift then working my 12 hrs after.  16 hrs in one day and 28 weeks pregnant...what was I thinking?!?  Oh well!

But then she said she met with the manager and said that we could switch shifts whenever we wanted!!!!  I figured it would have been more formal than that but I guess that's how they do it *lol*  So, we just pick a day and swap schedules.  I asked her to wait until the following schedule comes since I already like my current schedule *lol*  Then we can swap.  The only drawback is that I will work every other weekend!!!  So sad!  I loved my every 3rd weekend and will be devastated but Doug keeps reminding me it would be more money and we need more money when the baby comes!  Boo!  So, that will take some adjusting.

This Friday will give me a preview as to what the shift is like since I'll be going in at 3pm.  (then working straight until 7am the next day...ugh!  I'm an idiot!).  It will give me a chance to try it out before we make the switch.  I'm happy to get a little preview just to make sure it's what I want to do! =)  I'm so happy to get off nights!!!!  I have been feeling bad b/c they have needed extra helps so bad the last few weeks but if I don't sleep during the day, I can't stay motivated for 24 hrs!  It's not safe to my patients or to myself.  So, I have to turn down the extra money!  But working 3-11pm, I don't have to worry about sleeping and can always pick up an extra day or stay over!

She also said that we are just a few months away from moving to days!!  yeah!  That is what I ultimately want.  I would love to go back to my 3, 12hr shifts and work from 7am to 7pm.  Once we figure out the babysitter situation and maybe find someone not as expensive as Riverside or OSU, that might be a possibility later in the year!

Job update...

At the start of my shift on Tuesday, one of the girls that works 3-11pm came up to me and asked me if I was interested in switching shifts =)  I gladly said yes and the charge nurse sent an email to the boss letting her know! Hopefully, we can switch sooner.  Our current schedule goes out to the beginning of February so hopefully on the next schedule, I might be switched.

I'm both excited and nervous at the same time.  This shift is very hard since you are coming in at one of the busiest times and the reason the girl wants to switch is to keep her sanity *lol*  But Doug and I both think this shift would be best for us both financially and for me and my crazy sleep cycle.  I will be home every night around midnight and when the baby is here, we'll just need a sitter from about 2pm to 5pm!  We are hoping to find a local sitter or a church or something to watch the baby.  Another con is that I will be working 4 days a week versus 3 and only getting 32hrs a week versus 36.  The plus side, is that I still get to keep my night shift differential =)

So, we'll see!  I'm happy to get off nights (will miss my wonderful co-workers but I do get to work with them for 4hrs!!) but nervous about the change.

A last minute trip to Ikea and an almost finished nursery!

Doug and I decided late yesterday that we should really try to go to Ikea and return our unused boxes of flooring and the wrong size crib mattress. So, this morning, we got up early and started the 1 1/2 hr drive to Cincinnati.  Boy I wish Ikea was closer haha!

We returned everything easily and started looking around at the showrooms.  I just love that place!  We unexpectedly came across a super cozy rocking chair and thought it would be perfect for the nursery.  Much more our style than others we have seen and about 1/2 the price!  So, we decided to get it along with a few other items for the nursery.  We found 2 lamps with cute pink shades to incorporate some more color to the yellow walls!  While looking for our items in the pick-up area, Doug came across a cute little night stand that works perfectly next to the chair.  I wanted a bookshelf but in the end, it would have been too big for the room.  We definitely didn't have any intention on finding anything that wasn't on our list but were happy the prices were right and we now have an almost complete nursery!

Day 2 nursery remodel!

This day, we were helped with our "fur" helpers!

lynx is supervising Doug

me with my doodle bear!

Apparently, the supervisor got bored!

Now he's just plain thrilled with the project...

The crib, rocking horse, and new pink lamp

yes, it's pink but it won't show up in my picture haha just a "glow"

cutest bedding ever!

Too bad that cute bumper will come out once she's born.  Don't want to chance SIDS!

But it'll be back in a few months later once she can start to hold her head up and get more air circulation!

inside the crib!

nice new rocker that's super cozy!!!

table and pink lamp as well!

changing table with shelf!

clock we found in Chicago!!!

Doug testing out the rocker!

Rocking Iris already =)

27 weeks today!

Nursery =)

Mom and Steve came up on New Year's day to help us put the crib, etc together.  Since they bought the crib, I couldn't wait to have them up to help put it together and see all the bedding etc that we picked out.  It was so much fun!  Steve made the traditional sauerkraut and pork (my favorite...yum!) and I added salad, mashed potatoes, bread, and dessert to complete the meal.  The food was yummy and it was so much fun to see the nursery come together!

Here are pictures before and after =)

The room originally started out as a guest bedroom/office then turned into guest bedroom/lola's bedroom!

Doug ripped out the carpet, painted the walls yellow, layed the wood flooring with his dad's help and replaced the baseboards!  He has been one busy bee the past few weeks!

Mom and Steve building with Doug

The finished crib minus the mattress

Had a small sizing issue with the first one we bought haha

changing table and flooring

yellow walls, new baseboards and new floors with the cutest rocking horse!

Such a fun day!!!  It's amazing to finally have some furniture in the room and see it come to life!

Can't wait for Iris to be here and see it!